Hospitals overflow as swine flu cases swell

AHMEDABAD: Jayesh Prajapati (name changed), 24, had been to a private hospital in Odhav after he was diagnosed with primary symptoms for flu. His family members said that there was no space for him in the ward due to which he was kept in a mixed ward - exposing him to potential infections. “The doctors told us that he would be shifted to the ward after they get space,” said his brother.

As the number of swine flu cases swell in Ahmedabad and other parts of Gujarat, the hospitals are also finding it difficult to accommodate the patients. While majority of the patients get admitted to the government hospitals, the number of affected citizens getting admitted to private hospitals for flu or vector-borne diseases is also high. Authorities of the private hospital said that they are trying to accommodate as many patients as possible by making most of the infrastructure.

On Sunday, Gujarat recorded 52 new cases. The state has so far witnessed 27 deaths from 1,027 cases registered from September 1, averaging at 28 cases per day. Ahmedabad tops the tally with 40% of the cases. Experts said that the high number is thanks to tertiary care centres such as Civil Hospital that is catering high number of patients from other districts. Officials stressed on getting early diagnosis to improve the chances of recovery.